Furnace humidifier



March 2 1926.

o. P. NYSTROM FURNACE HUMIDIFIEH m mm Mw hf my w u w I Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,575,380 PATENT OFFICE,

OSCAIt P. NYSTROM, OF HOLLAND, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO HOLLAND FURNACE COMPANY, OF HOLLAND, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

FURNACE HUMIDIFIER.

Application filed February 24, 1925. Serial No. 11,082.

This invention relates to humidifiers for use in furnaces, wherein water may be evaporated in the air heating space enclosed between the outer casing and the fire pot,co1nbustion chamber and radiator of the furnace. It has been a general practice heretofore to locate water pans, holding a considerable quantity of water, in this space, usually di rectly in front of the fire pot so that heat therefrom applied to the watercaused its evaporation. Inasmuch as the surface area of the water in the waterpanis limited, the amount of evaporation is muchless than it should be for the proper humidifying of the air passing from thefurnace to the rooms which it heats. Moreover, these water pans must befilled periodically andiin practice the user of the furnace may or may not keep the water pan filled, usually the latter. This results in the air going to the rooms heated by the furnace being very dry.

In the present invention it is designed that a humidifier shall be provided in which a very large evaporation surface is furnished and in which the humidifier is at all times supplied with a continuous supply of water so that it never becomes dry. This is one of the primary objects of the invention. A

further object of the invention is to locate the humidifier at the extreme lower portion of the air heating space between the enclosing casing and the fire pot and to make the humidifier in such way that it occupies very little, in fact for practical purposes, no space in. such enclosed heating space and in i no way interferes with the air circulation. A still further and very important object of the invention is to provide a drain for excess of water which may be supplied to the -hu midifier overand; above what is evaporated, such excess being carried and delivered to the ash pit where it is absorbed by the ashes. This eliminatesdust from the ashes andat the same time supplies moisture to the air going to the burning fuel, resulting in bet ter combustion of the fuel and,even if all of the moisture supplied to the ashes should be evaporated, the dust is settled by reason of the fact that ashes once saturated with water and thereafter dried are not dusty, thedust having been eliminated because of the previous saturation of the ashes with water. And a still further, and from an economical standpoint, .veryyimportant ob: ject and purpose of thisinventionis to construct the water holding parts of the humidifier as an integral portion of the ash pit castingthere being substantially no increase in the cost of manufacture of the casting, while with the elimination of the water pan its cost is eliminated. v

The construction bymeans of which these results and othersnot at present specifically stated-are attained is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which, 7

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary central vertical section from frontvto rear through the lower part of a furnace equipped with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the plane of line 22 of Fig. 1, and y Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged eleva tion illustrating the means of controlling the water supply to thehumidifier.

Like reference characters refer to like parts i-n the different figures ofthe drawing.

In the construction of the furnace below thefire pot 1, which is of substantially'circular outline, an ash pit'2 is located, it hav- 7 ing a curved form at itsrear portion corresponding to the form of the fire pot which rests thereon. 1 Each side of the ash pit adjacent its front port-ion is extended forward in a side 3, the two sides 3 being parallel to 1 each other and integrally connected at their upper edges by a cross top plate 4: which, 1n practice, is inclined downwardly and inwardlyat a slight angle to the horizontal; The ash pit isopen at the front and the usual cast plate 5, on which the fire and ash plt doors are mounted, is located in front ofthe ash pit, the door 6 to 'the ashpit being shownasit isregularly constructed. In the 7 bottom of the fire pot agrate 7 is mounted through which'the ashes 8 pass to the ash pit asshown. p

The construction thus far outlined 1s old I and well known. It has been the practice .water pan is eliminated. In place thereof upwardly extending shallow ribs or sides 9 are cast integral with the part 4, being connected at then front ends by an integral front rib 10 and at their rear ends by a similar rib 11 whi h is spaced a short dis- Lance from the fire pot casting. An opening 12 is made through the part at a distance in front of the rib 11, and a groove 13 is formed in the under side of the part4 extending downwardly and inwardly to a point substantially directly under the rib 11;

It is designed that water shall be continuously supplied to the shallow container which is thus made ha ving the bottom, l, sides 9 and outer and inner cross COIIIIGCtlIlg ribs 10 and 11. The water may be supplied from any suitable source of supply through a pipe 14, at the end of which a manually operable control valve 15 is mounted for regulating the amount or quantity of water which is passed to the humidifier. Any suitable means may be used to carry the water to the humidifier. One means is shown consisting of a horizontal pipe 16 which extends across the outer part of the humidifier above the bottom 4 thereof, having an end portion extending outwardly through the front casting 5 and bein equipped at its outer end with a union 16 open to receive waterdelivered through the va ve 15 from the pipe i i. 'It is desirable thatthe flow of water to the pipe 16 may be observed that the amount of flow can be better regulated. The pipe 16 in its under side maybe provided with a number of small openings in its length, the water passing therethrough at different points in the length of thepipe End dropping to the bottom f of the humidi- This water when delivered to the humidifier spreads over the bottom 4 and has a tendency to flow downwardly by gravity toward the lower inner portion of Y the humidifier. The heat from the fire pot'is directed against the bottom a of the humidifier and the water passing thereover so that the water is quickly evaporated and mi'ngles with the heated air which is rising all of the time between the outer casing 19 of the furnace and the inner heat radiating parts of the furnace. In fact while the furnace is operating during the daytime to heat the rooms to the required temperature all of the water which is delivered is evaporated but.

at night when the furnace is closed the evaporation of the water is not so greatand in time a quantity thereof indicated at '17 collects at the lower part of the humidifier in front of the inner rib 11. I Then it has reached a level such that the overflow'opening 12 is reached, the excess water not evaporated passes through said opening and thence down guide groove 13 dropping, as indicated at'18, into the ashes 8 contained in theashpit. I

The humidifier construction described is very economical to produce requiring only the addition of the enclosing ribs 9, 10 and 11 on the part t of the ash-pit casting, all of which can be made when the ash pit casting is molded withoutadditional expense except for the very little more material that is needed. The pipes 16 and i l with the valve 15 or any other equivalent construction which maybe used are inexpensive and their cost is balanced by the cost of the water pan which is eliminated with this humidifier. A large supply of water and a large water pan to contain the same are eliminated, the removal of the water pan removing what has been heretofore an obstruction to the free circulation of the heated air in the hot air space enclosed by the outer casing of the furnace. It is evident that the front side of the furnace fire pot many times becomes very hot and the water pan has stood in the way of proper radiation of heat therefrom. The part4, constituting the bottom of the humidifier and the top of the forward extension to the ash pit, is directly in line for heat radiated from the front side of the fire pot and water droppi-ng by drops ontothis plate is quickly raised to vaporizing temperature and diffused into the heated air going from the furnace. Theconsumption of'a considerablequantity of heat in a large body of water suc'has is required in water pane is obviated.

Vilhile the invention has been described and shown as forming an integral part of the ash pit casting it is evident that with furnaces already installed and in use that it is quitepossib'le and practical to make a separate similar humidifier unit which may be" placed upon the part 4; of the ash pit casting, this without departing in any way from the invention. lVith this construction of humidifier not only is a very largeevaporating surface for water provided and evaporation of the water made correspondingly rapid,-but'thereis also a hot plate evaporation provided, drops of water falling on the hot plate with consequent almost in stant evaporation. As arule the amount of moisture supplied with warm air furnaces, even where the water pan is kept filled with water atall times, is much too small, but

with this invention the moisture supplied to.

the heated air going to the rooms of a house heated by the furnace is greatly increased. The supply of water to the humidifier is continuous and there is no likelihood of the humidifier at any time being dry and the excess ofwater, supplied to the humidifier at the times when the furnace is not operat ing at full capacity, overflows and is carried to the ash pit saturating the ashes with all of the resultant advantages coming there from. The invention is very simple, very practical and very efiicient in every respect. It is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered as comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within the scope of said claims.

I. claim: I I

1. In a furnace, an ash pit casting and a fire pot casting located above the ash pit casting, said ash pit casting at one side having outwardly extending spacedapart sides and a top disposed between the upper edges of the sides, meansi'or continuously supplying water to and against the upper side of said top, and means cast integral with the top and extending upwardly therefrom preventing flow of the water beyond either side edge of the top or against the fire pot casting, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In a furnace, an ash pit casting and a fire pot casting located above the ash pit casting, said ash pit casting at one side having outwardly extending spaced apart sides and a top disposed between the upper edges of the sides, said top being provided with means whereby a limited quantity of 'ater may be held thereon, and means for continuously supplying water to said top, substantially as described.

3. In a furnace, an ash pit casting and a fire pot casting located above the ash pit casting, said ash pit casting at one side having outwardly extending spaced apart sides and a top disposed between the upper edges of the sides, vertical ribs extending upwardly short distances from said top adjacent each side edge thereof, an inner cross rib connecting the inner ends of the vertical ribs integral therewith and with said top, an outer cross rib connecting the outer ends of said side ribs integral therewith and with said top, and means for supplying water continuously to said top within the space surrounded by said ribs, substantially as de scribed;

4. In a furnace, an ash pitcasting and a fire pot casting located above the ash pit casting, said ash pit casting at one side having outwardly extending spaced apart sides and a top disposed between the upper edges of the sides, said top being inclined downwardly and inwardly at an angle to the horizontal, side ribs integral with and extending upwardly from the top adjacent each side edge thereof, and a cross rib integral with the top and the side ribs connecting the inner ends of said cross ribs and located adjacent but spaced from the fire pot, substantially as described.

5. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 4, said top at a distance back of the cross rib having a drainage opening therethrough, substantially as described.

6. A construct-ion containing the elements in combination defined in claim 4:, saidtop a distance in front of the cross ribhaving a drainage opening therethrough and having a groove at its under side extending from said openingdownwardly and inwardly, substantially as described. I 7. In a furnace including an ash pit and fire pot, said fire pot being located above the ash pit, a water receiving "receptacle lo cated in front of thefire pot and above the ash pit, means for continuously supplying a predetermined amount of water to said water holding receptacle, said receptacle having'a drain opening for excess of Water, and means for conducting the excess of water to the ash pit, substantially as described. I

8. In a furnace, a water holding receptacle for receiving water located above the ash pit and adjacent the fire pot of the furnace, means for continuously supplying a predetermined amount of water to said receptacle, and means for draining excess water from the receptacle to the ash pit below the fire pot.

9. In a furnace including an ashpit and a fire pot located above the ash pit, said ash pit having an outwardly extendingportion at one side thereof, a receptacle located at the upper side of said projecting portion of the ash pit adapted to contain water, said receptacle having a varying depth and formed with a drainage opening at a point above the lowermost portions of the receptacle whereby only a predetermined amount of water can beheld in the receptacle, any

excess draining therefrom through the drainage opening and into the ash pit, and means for continuously supplying water to said receptacle.

10. In a furnace, an ash pit casting, a fire pot casting located above the fire ash pit casting, said ash pit casting'at one side having an outwardly extending portion comprising sides and a top connecting the upper edges of said sides, said top having portions located in a lower plane than the remaining portions thereof, whereby water delivered to the upper side of said top will normally How to said lower portions, and a drainage opening through said top located. at a pointabove the lowermost portions of the top whereby only a predetermined quantity of water can be held in said top, excess passing through said drainageopening to the ash pit, substantially as described. 7 I 11. In a furnace, an ash pit casting and a fire pot casting located above the ash pit casting, said ash pit casting at one side hav ing an outwardly extending portion comprising vertical sides and a top integrally connecting the upper edges of said vertical sides, said top having a, drainage opening therethrough, means located on saidtop in front of the fire pot casting to Which Water may be delivered and a predetermined quantity thereof held, any excess over said pre determined quantity passing through said drainage opening to the ash pit, and means for continuously supplying Water to said water holding means, substantially as described.

12. In a furnace, an ash pit casting formed with an outwardly extending portion at one side thereof comprising spaced apart sides and a top integrally connecting the upper edges of said sides, means for continuously supplying a limited quantity. of Water to said top, a fire pot casting located above the ash pit casting adapted to radiate heat therefrom to the top of the ash pit casting or to Water thereon, and means for confining the Water to a prescribed area on the upper side of said top, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

OSCAR P. NYSTROM. 

